Combined card mount and pocket and method of making same



Aug. 4, 1959 R. W. CARVER COMBINED CARD MOUNT AND POCKET AND METHODOFMAKING SAME Tlc'l Filed Dec. 15, 1955 INVENTOR Passer M CARVER i ed StatP "1C 3, 13.23.

COMBINED CARD MOUNT POCKET AND METHOD'OFMAKING SAIVIE The presentinvention relates to an improved device for mounting andprotectingdocuments, papers, cards, photographs and the like, and itrelates more particularly to an improved device serving a dual functionof providing a protective sealed transparent covering for papers, cards,photographs and the like as well as a transparent pocket for receivingand holding supplementary papers or cards and which permits their readyremoval and replacement.

There are many activities frequently encountered which require thepresentation of information of a relatively permanent nature in additionto information of a periodically renewable or modified nature. Theinformation of a permanent nature may be personal identification data,personal photographs, vehicle identification data, transportationdestinations and routes, rights and privileges, and similar informationwhereas the information of a temporary and renewable nature may includesuch 7 data as time periods, expiration dates and any other informationwhich is frequently modified, Typical ofrthe activities requiring thepresentation of the above information are social, sporting andprofessional organizations, communication tickets, toll bridge passesand many other activitiesoften met with. It has been customary in thepast to renew regularly the cards or devices carrying the permanentas-well as the temporary information. This isobviously highlyinefficient and uneconomical. On the other hand, where the temporaryinformation only was changed, the information of a permanent nature wasunprotected and shortly lost-its legibility and usefulness due tofrequent-handling.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide animproved device for mounting and protecting papers, cards, documents,photographs and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved devicefor mounting and protecting papers, cards, photographs and the likehaving means for removably receiving and retaining supplementary cards,papers or the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improveddevice for mounting and protecting in a completely sealed manner, whilepermitting their exhibition, papers, cards, photographs and the like,said device having means for removably receiving and retainingsupplementary cards, papers or the like and permitting the viewingthereof while so held.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple, handydevice for mounting in a transparent completely sealed manner a card,photograph or the like, said device having a transparent pocket forremovably receiving a supplementary card.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide animproved method of forming pockets or envelopes of organic thermoplasticmaterial.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved methodof mounting cards, papers, photographs and the like and simultaneouslyforming a pocket for removably holding additional cards, papers or thelike.

The above and further objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein v Figure 1 is a topplan view of an improved device in accordance with the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the parts and elements enteringinto the fabrication of the improved device and employed in practicingthe improved method; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof.

The present invention broadly contemplates an improved device of thecharacter described comprising first and second superimposed organicthermoplastic panels having an object sandwiched between'theirconfronting faces and having their borders integrally fused and a thirdpanel superimposed upon one said thermoplastic panel and being securedthereto along a portion of its borders to definea pocket having anopening therein to permit access into the interior thereof.

Also broadly contemplated by the present invention is a method offorming a thermoplastic envelope or pocket comprisingthe steps ofsuperimposing a pair of organic thermoplastic panels having sandwichedbetween, their confronting faces a separator plate which extends beyondone of the edges of one of said panels, applying sufiicient pressure andheat to said panels to integrally fuse the abutting borders thereof andthereafter removing said separator plate.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thefirst and second panels are of similar rectangular configuration whoseborders are integrally fused and which have sandwiched between them arectangular information-carrying card of lesser correspondingdimensions. A third panel of substantially similar'configuration tothefirst two panels is superimposed upon one of said panels, the.confronting peripheralborders of said panels beingintegrally fused alongthe two long and one short edge to form a pocket. If desired, the thirdpanel may have the other of its edges inwardly recessed. The innersideedges of the pocket are. inwardly inclined toward each other. Infabricating the improved device by a preferred method, the three panelsare superimposed upon each other, the informationcarrying card beingsandwiched between the first and second panels. The separator plate,preferably of trapezoidal shape, is disposed between the second andthird panels with its base extending beyond one edge of the third panel.Thereafter, the assembly is subjected to sufficient heat and pressure tofuse integrally their abutting borders, and is then cooled underpressure. The

' separator plate is thereupon removed to complete the fabrication.

Reference is now made to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1and 2 thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention wherein the numerals 10 and 12 generally designate first andsecond flat panels of transparent thermoplastic material which are ofgenerally rectangular shape. The panels 10 and 12 are superimposed uponeach other and have the card 14 between the panels 10 and 12 therebycom-- pletely protecting the card from wear, tampering and mis handling.

A third panel 16, of similar dimension and configuration as the panelsand 12 is superimposed upon the second panel 12 and has its bordersother than along the short edge integrally fused to the confrontingborders of the second panel 21 thereby to define a pocket 22 between thepanels, the pocket 22'having an opening alongtheedge 20. It should benoted that preferably the inner opposite long edges of the pocket 22 areinwardly inclined toward each other.

Considering now the improved method of fabricating the present device,reference is made to Figures 3 .and 4 of the drawing wherein the' panels10,12 and 16 'are arranged in laminar fashion in the order designated.It should be noted that the recess 18 is preferablynot'preformed in thepanel 16 but is cut therein subsequentto the assembly of the article.Furthermore, the corners of the panels 10, 12 and 16 may be roundedeither prior or subsequent to assembly; The card or photograph 14 issandwiched between the panels 10 and 12 and is centrally positionedrelative to the. edges thereof. Disposed between the second and thirdpanels 12 and 16 is a separator plate 24 of generally trapezoidalconfiguration whose longitudinal axis coincides with the longitudinalaxis of the panels 12 and 16 and whose long inclined edges 25, 25 andupper edge 26 is spaced inwardly from the corresponding edges of thepanels 12 and 16, and whose base 28 is located outwardly beyond theadjacent edges of the panels 10, 12 and 16. The plate 24 may be formedof any suitable material which will not deform or adhere to the plasticpanels under fusing heats and pressures. A single assembly of the threePanels, card and separator plate, or a stack of several. of these assem-'blies individually separated by suitable plates, is positioned betweenthe heated plates of a laminating press and sufiicient heat and pressureapplied for a predetermined time necessary to eifect the fusion of theabutting borders of the panels 10, 12 and 16 into a unitary integralstructure in a manner well known in the art. The assembly or assembliesare then subjected to a cooling step while under pressure and arethereafter removed and the separator plates 24 extracted. Anyconventional laminating press may be employed such as is generallyused-in plastic laminating of identification cards and the like. Anexample of such a press which may be employed to good advantage isdescribed in US. Patent No. 2,404,165, issued on July 16, 1946, to F. S.Carver. The temperatures, pressures and times required in effecting thelamination depends on the type of plastic, the thickness and 4 thenumber of assemblies simultaneously treated. These values are well knownin the laminating art.

The plastic forming the panels may be of any suitable type, rigid,semi-rigid or flexible, or a mixture of these as desired, for example,Vinylite, a vinyl acetate chloride copolymer of any desired degree offlexibility. While the panels are preferably transparent and colorless,they may be colored, transparent, translucent or opaque as desired.

While there has been described and illustrated preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations andomissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim: 1 7

The method of making a combination card mount and pocket comprising thesteps of placing a pair of heat sealable thermoplastic panels inoverlying relationship, interposing a sheet of indicia carrying materialbetween said panels with the panels extending beyond the edges of said asheet, positioning a third panel of heat scalable material inov'erlyingrelatio'nship with one of the first said panels, interposing aseparator plate of trapezoidal shape between the last said panel andsaid one panel, said plate being shaped to extend at its wider endbeyond one edge of said panels and permit border contact between theother edges of the panels, applying heat and pressure to said panels toeffect integral fusion about the confronting edges of the panels,cooling said fused panels and then removing said separate plate toprovide a tapered pocket between the third panel and said one panel withsaid sheet being permanently sealed between said pair of panels.

References Cited in the file this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,226'Goodsell et al Aug. 26, 1913 1,693,006 Thomas Nov. 27, 1928 1 ,699,8657 Walton Ian. 22, 1929 2,294,796 Moulder Sept. 1, 1942 2,364,870 OttoDec. 12, 1944 2,401,110 Rohdin May 28, 1946 2,520,449 Allen Aug. 29,1950 2,572,735 Kugel Oct. 23, 1951 2,584,632 Southwick Feb. 5, 19522,588,067 Whitehead Mar. 4, 1952 2,598,755 Birch June 3, 1953 2,676,702Whitefoot Apr. 27, 1954 2,679,194 Ehrenfried et al May 25, 19542,725,913 Horwin Dec. 6, 1955

